IWC’s history in aviation watches goes back 90 years, all the way to the introduction of its first “Special Watch for Pilots”’ in 1936. Given that lengthy history, it’s somewhat surprising the brand didn't really get into space watches until 2021, when they built custom-built chronographs for the Inspiration4 private space program, the world's first all-civilian orbital space flight. This new age of privatized space travel is more of an extension of commercial aviation than government sponsored NASA-style exploration, so it makes perfect sense for a brand that is affiliated with aviation to get on board with this new age of space travel.In 2026, IWC released their next space-focused watch, the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive. Historically, most space watches are modified versions of pre-existing terrestrial timepieces, but IWC built this piece from the ground up to withstand the rigors of modern space exploration.